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5 - Feministtheology: a critical theology of liberation

from Part I - Contemporary Liberation Theology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 January 2008

Christopher Rowland
Affiliation:
University of Oxford
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Summary

Feminist theology is a global theology, or rather, a family of contextualtheologies committed to the struggle for justice for women and the transformationof society. It is therefore a critical theology of liberation engaged in thereconstruction of theology and religion in the service of this transformationprocess, in the specificity of the many contexts in which women live. Whereas inEuropean and North American contexts the term 'feminist theology' is mostfrequently accepted, in other parts of the globe, in order to heighten visibility,recognise identity and respect the diversity of experiences and goals, thedifferent theologies of Asian, African and Latin American women have acquiredtheir own distinctiveness, together with Womanist theology (the theology of theUnited States black American women and women of colour), and Mujerista theology(the liberation theology of Hispanic women). Increasingly emergent is thespirituality of, for example, indigenous American Indian women and indigenousIndian women in Latin America, as well as of aboriginal women in Australia, NewZealand and the Pacific.

If there is a commonality of purpose in all this diversity, it is the liberationof humankind together with all sentient life. The words of the American poetAdrienne Rich are widely inspirational:

My heart is touched by all I cannot save;

So much has been destroyed

I have to cast my lot in with those who

with no extraordinary power

re-constitute the world.

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2007

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